Spicy Miso Portobello Burgers with Pickled Asian Slaw and Sweet Chili Burger Sauce

Update 12/30/20: This post has been changed from the original 2019 version to reflect my current recipe.

I’ve made these portobello burgers quite a few times now, and to be quite honest they’re one of the best things we’ve had in a long, long time. In fact, they may have just replaced our weekly Curry Night! I’m still flabbergasted I got the resident carnivore to say he felt like he’d eaten an actual burger, and both times I’ve cooked these we’ve gone back for seconds. 

This recipe makes four burgers, and is split into three parts (”patty”, slaw, sauce).

Mushroom Ingredients:

• 4 portobello caps
• 1/3 cup white miso paste
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp gochujang (or sriracha)
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Pickled Slaw Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup red cabbage
• 1/3 cup white cabbage
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 medium carrot
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (or vegan mayo)
• 1 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce (see my recipe here!)
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp honey/maple syrup
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Shred or slice cabbage, peppers, and carrots. Add to a large bag or bowl with rice vinegar and sesame seeds. Shake or toss to ensure everything is coated. Seal and store slaw in the fridge until ready to serve.
2. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and sweetener of choice. Stir and set burger sauce aside until ready to serve.
3. In a large bowl, combine miso paste, water, gochujang, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and white pepper. Whisk or stir with a fork until a smooth paste has formed.
4. Wash and remove stems from Portobello caps, dab dry with a paper towel, and then add to the paste. Using a spoon or basting brush, gently coat the underside and top of each mushroom cap with the paste, ensuring even coverage. Store in the fridge for up to 3 hours to marinate.
5. Heat griddle or nonstick pan on medium-high/high. When hot, place mushroom caps top-down and sear for 2-3 minutes or until a brown crust has formed, then flip. Baste with remaining marinade as desired. Do not cook longer than 5-7 minutes maximum to prevent mushrooms from becoming too soft.
6. Remove and place on a wire rack to drain excess liquid and to prevent the undersides from steaming.
7. Assemble Portobello burgers on a toasted bun with avocado, sweet chili burger sauce, and pickled slaw.

While I would not recommend storing a completed burger, the mushrooms can last in the fridge for 24 hours (the marinade is very salty and may make the mushrooms too salty to eat after much longer); the sauce can be kept for a week; and the pickled slaw should last for up to a week.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Spicy Miso Portobello Burgers with Pickled Asian Slaw and Sweet Chili Burger Sauce

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Japanese

Servings: 4 burgers

Ingredients

Mushroom Ingredients:

• 4 portobello caps
• 1/3 cup white miso paste
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tbsp gochujang/sriracha
• 2 tsp ginger minced
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Pickled Slaw Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup red cabbage shredded
• 1/3 cup white cabbage shredded
• 2 red bell peppers thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot thinly sliced
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp honey/maple syrup

Instructions

• Shred or slice cabbage, peppers, and carrots. Add to a large bag or bowl with rice vinegar and sesame seeds. Shake or toss to ensure everything is coated. Seal and store slaw in the fridge until ready to serve.
• In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and sweetener of choice. Stir and set burger sauce aside until ready to serve.
• In a large bowl, combine miso paste, water, gochujang, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and white pepper. Whisk or stir with a fork until a smooth paste has formed.
• Wash and remove stems from Portobello caps, dab dry with a paper towel, and then add to the paste. Using a spoon or basting brush, gently coat the underside and top of each mushroom cap with the paste, ensuring even coverage. Store in the fridge for up to 3 hours to marinate.
• Heat griddle or nonstick pan on medium-high/high. When hot, place mushroom caps top-down and sear for 2-3 minutes or until a brown crust has formed, then flip. Baste with remaining marinade as desired. Do not cook longer than 5-7 minutes maximum to prevent mushrooms from becoming too soft.
• Remove and place on a wire rack to drain excess liquid and to prevent the undersides from steaming.
• Assemble Portobello burgers on a toasted bun with avocado, sweet chili burger sauce, and pickled slaw.